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The Nigerian Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme (NUPCPS) has called on the federal government to improve the social welfare of pensioners and workers to support economic growth.
This was the submission of the group at the eighth edition of the National Conference of the Nigerian Association of Insurance and Pension Editors (NAIPE), with the theme, ‘Role of Insurance and Pension In Building Sustainable Economic Growth Under the New Government’, in Lagos.
The Secretary of the Union, Bisan John, observed that the pension arrangement by the government in the country is far below standard, as pensioners from public service can no longer fulfill their obligations.
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John said the representation of retirees’ agonies in various media keeps getting scary, giving concerned citizens bad feelings about public service.
He said there is no way the government could successfully tackle the economic challenges without satisfying the yearnings of both pensioners and those in service.
According to him, since the emergency of the present administration, the government has been struggling with efforts to get the economy to work.
“The government must first think of the workers, and improve their welfare so they can contribute adequately to the economy. It should be the people before the economy.
“Government should also think of how to build the operators of the economy and improve the life of pensioners,” he said.
The secretary also recalled the failure to pay group life insurance claims to the next of kin of deceased civil servants, lamenting the perceived conflicts in annuity acceptance for pensioners under failed insurance companies.
He urged the government to provide better opportunities for pensioners, saying that retirees’ welfare should not just end at the level of being paid their stipends.
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